Parker Hannifin, the global leader in motion and control technologies, has extended its successful ETH range of high thrust electro-cylinders to make them suitable for use in explosive atmospheres (ATEX environments). The new ETH ATEX takes all the advantages of the popular electric cylinder ETH series, transferring them to applications for precise motion, positioning, pressing, setting and actuating in explosive environments.

An ATEX environment is one deemed to carry a mixture of air and flammable substances as gases, vapours or mist under atmospheric conditions that have the potential to explode. ATEX-certified equipment is vital for use in such conditions.

Those expected to benefit from ETH ATEX include sectors such as oil, gas, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, automotive (paint shops), biogas generation, gas turbine manufacturing, printing and distilling. It can also be an alternative solution to hydraulic cylinders in sensitive environments in order to avoid pollution or contamination.

ETH ATEX has exceptionally high power density and is available in 4 sizes from ISO32 to ISO100 size. The range offers thrust force up to 56 000 N in strokes up to 2000 mm, with repeatability to ±0.03 mm and acceleration up to 15 m/s².

The new ETH ATEX range has certification for equipment group II, category 2 in explosive gas atmospheres. Together with EX series servomotors (also ATEX-certified), Parker Hannifin offers a complete drive package for such applications.